Lex Med Blog

By: Donna Quirk RD LD MBA at LMC

Have you ever tried a roasted chestnut? I never had until yesterday when one of my fellow dietitians offered a sample. It was very good but I have to admit, not what I expected. But, more on that in a minute…

Chestnuts have an interesting nutrition profile that does not resemble other nuts like almonds and walnuts.

A one ounce serving is around 4 chestnuts and provides 60 Calories, 3.4 g Protein, and 0.6 g Fat. The fat is much lower than other nuts and is ideal for a low fat diet. Chestnuts do have starch but relatively little simple sugar. This makes them a good alternative to potatoes. They are a good source of fiber, gluten-free and are the only nut with Vitamin C. Chestnuts are virtually salt-free and a very good source of potassium. This is a benefit to all of us particularly if you are trying to control your blood pressure.

So are you ready to try Chestnuts? You can prepare them in a variety of ways.

First, this important tip. It is VERY IMPORTANT to cut the shell to prevent the nut from exploding while cooking. You can either cut a slit across the face of the nut or a cross into the flat end.

Baked Chestnut on Right

To microwave: Place chestnuts in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate. Cook, uncovered on High (100%) for 4–6 minutes or until flesh is tender.

To roast, grill or barbeque: Cook, turning occasionally, in a pan over medium heat for 20–30 minutes or until shell split opens.

Wrap the cooked chestnuts in a dishtowel for 10 minutes to provide steam which helps with the peeling process. Then remove outer shell and inner skin while still warm (they’re tricky to peel once cooled).

What I didn’t expect about the chestnut is that it has the texture of a firm potato and has a sweet taste that reminded me of a sweet potato, pumpkin, or acorn squash.

Chestnuts can be eaten freshly roasted as a snack, added to bread stuffing, a stir-fry or a risotto and even ground as a gluten-free flour replacement for baked treats.

So, instead of singing about Chestnuts roasting on an open fire why not give them a try!

Reference: Nuts For Life http://www.nutsforlife.com.au

Swansea, SC (WLTX) — During a health emergency one second can save a life. That is why Lexington Medical Center is making sure each one counts when it comes to caring for patient in rural areas of the Midlands.

Time counts when it comes to a heart attack and registered nurse and Community Medical Center Clinical Coordinator Darrell Tedder knows that first hand.

“I had a little burning chest pain. I thought it was reflux, took an antacid, didn’t work,” said Tedder.

That happened in 2008. He recognized the situation as serious and called his own ambulance.

“They took me to the hospital, where they opened me up, put a stint in, actually three, and I’m a survivor today,” said Tedder.

Now he and other medical professionals at the Lexington Medical Center’s Community Medical Center in Swansea are working to make sure those far away from the hospital’s main campus, can get to that care more quickly.

“The quicker you get somebody to a quick assessment, identification of the problem and get them to an area where they can be treated the less muscle that dies or is actually damaged,” he said.

The Swansea Community Medical Center held a drill to rehearse their response to a person having the most serious kind of heart attack called a STEMI, or ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. During a STEMI an artery is completely blocked off and part of the heart can begin to die. While the center can handle many kinds of medical emergencies, Dr. Donald Langston Powell says when they recognize a STEMI they begin procedures to get a patient to the main campus as soon as possible.

“When we call the helicopter or when we call the ambulance, there are personnel that are trained to take care of people. They’re all certified in advance cardiac life support and have all the tools necessary to take care of that patient,” said Powell.

While the community center is somewhat limited in what it can provide, Powell says receiving medications and care as they prepare to transport someone, is better than risking an attempt to reach the hospital on your own.

This article from NBC News caught our eye. Holiday injuries are on the rise. Read more by clicking this link.

Meantime, it reminded us of our hospital’s 2010 Christmas commercial. We thought you might like to watch it.

Our Urgent Care physicians talked about holiday injuries in this edition of Lexington Woman magazine.

You can read their article here.

Please be careful this holiday season. Merry Christmas from Lexington Medical Center.